Guwahati, Oct 19: The current conflict between Israel and Hamas has sparked disputes between political groups in India over their divergent positions on the global issue.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following the latter’s comment on NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule in line with the Israel-Palestine state of affairs.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed solidarity with Israel following the October 7 attack by Hamas, Sharad Pawar said that the former Prime Ministers of India “stood firmly with Palestine”. “For the first time, the Prime Minister of this country supported the role of Israel. The stand of the NCP should be clear. We stand by the people who originally belonged to that land,” Pawar was quoted as saying.
Pawar further stated, “That place, land, and houses—everything was of Palestine and later Israel took over it. Israel is an outsider and the land is originally of Palestine. After encroachment, Israel was formed."
Meanwhile, Pawar’s comment did not go down well with the BJP and several leaders criticised him for his remarks, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who made a direct attack on Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule. “I think Sharad Pawar will send Supriya (Sule) to Gaza to fight for Hamas,” Sarma was quoted when asked about Pawar's take on the ongoing conflict.
Reacting to his response, MP Supriya Sule said the BJP needed to hear Sharad Pawar’s speech carefully before making such a comment.
MP Sanjay Raut, on the other hand, launching an attack on Himanta suggested that Assam's CM should first understand history and highlighted former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's position on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
"The party he (Assam CM) belongs to is no less than Hamas, it is misusing the central agencies, and destroying the opposition. He should first read and understand history. He is a part of the BJP and should know former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's stand on Palestine-Israel," Raut was quoted as saying.